Two top-15 teams collide in Lubbock on Saturday night as the No. 11 BYU Cougars visit the No. 15 Texas Tech Red Raiders at the United Supermarkets Arena.
Although the Cougars have won 13 consecutive games, this trip to Lubbock represents the beginning of a difficult stretch in Big 12 play.
See why AJ Dybansta will be a crucial element of this matchup with my BYU vs. Texas Tech predictions and college basketball picks for Saturday, January 17.
BYU vs Texas Tech prediction
BYU vs Texas Tech best bet: AJ Dybansta Over 22.5 points (-110 at bet365)
You could argue that this star-studded matchup features the three best players in the Big 12. There’s AJ Dybansta of the BYU Cougars, JT Toppin, and Christian Anderson of the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
The most talented of the bunch is Dybansta, a lock to hear his name called very early in this year’s NBA Draft.
The freshman phenom averages 23.1 ppg while shooting a robust 56.1% from the floor. He’s an athletic marvel and a scoring dynamo, and he’ll be needed at his best if the Cougars hope to extend their winning streak to 14 games.
Texas Tech’s likely fatal flaw is that it is essentially getting no production from its bench unit. Grant McCasland is operating a six-man rotation, and none of those players stands above 6’9”.
There isn’t a clear one-on-one matchup answer the 6’9” Dybansta, and Toppin isn’t an option as foul trouble would be catastrophic.
BYU’s game plan should involve plenty of attacking the rim, especially through Dybansta, to force foul trouble on Toppin and expose a vulnerable Tech interior defense lacking height, depth, and shot-blocking.
Dybansta has gone Over this number in eight of his last nine games while averaging 26.3 ppg in that span.
Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account
BYU vs Texas Tech same-game parlay
AJ Dybansta Over 22.5 points
Over 162.5
BYU +3
Both teams have higher efficiency metrics on the offensive side of the ball than they do defensively, so there could be plenty of points in store.
BYU checks in at 13th overall in KenPom, while Texas Tech is behind at 23rd. The Red Raiders haven’t proven to be an elite defensive unit (37th in adjusted efficiency), and their lack of depth will eventually come back to bite them.
Our beyond the arc SGP: Petty Cash!
AJ Dybantsa Over 22.5 points
Over 162.5
BYU +3
Jaylen Petty Over 2.5 threes
BYU is letting opponents chuck away from deep, surrendering 25.2 three-point attempts per game.
So far, those attempts have only gone in at a 29.9% clip, but that’s begging for regression, especially considering BYU’s three-point defense was at 35.7% last year under the same coach, Kevin Young.
The Red Raiders are an elite shooting team, cashing in at 37.8% from behind the arc. Jaylen Petty is a sharpshooter (37.6%) who is seeing an increase in minutes (32+ in his last three games), so he’s poised to cash in several triples.
BYU vs Texas Tech odds
- Spread: BYU +2 (-110) | Texas Tech -2 (-110)
- Moneyline: BYU +135 | Texas Tech -155
- Over/Under: Over 158.5 (-110) | Under 158.5 (-110)
BYU vs Texas Tech betting trend to know
AJ Dybansta has scored at least 23 points in eight of his last nine games. Find more college basketball betting trends for BYU vs. Texas Tech.
How to watch BYU vs Texas Tech
| Location | United Supermarkets Arena, Lubbock, TX |
| Date | Saturday, January 17, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
BYU vs Texas Tech key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
